Saturday, January 2, 2010

15th Street Fisheries - Stone Crab Galore!

Dan and I are still in Florida, enjoying the nice weather and the good eats. One such yummy experience was at the 15th Street Fisheries, where friends, Matt and Kate took us for an impromptu seafood lunch. We loved it, as it reminded us of a rustic Long Island waterside joint, and the seafood was perfectly simple and fresh.

Atmosphere:Located in Lauderdale Marina with amazing views of the Intracoastal Waterway, a waterside seat at this place has magnificent rewards. We sat outside in the more casual section called the Dockside Cafe, with spectacular views of the water, the fishing boats and yachts. I especially enjoyed looking down and seeing the huge fish (tarpons) swimming in the water--if you walk over to the dock, you can even feed them.

The furnishings at the cafe are simple but everything works together to create an authentic fishery vibe. I highly recommend dining outside on a nice day - on a not so pleasant one, you can sit inside or dine at their upstairs restaurant, which is more fancy.

Food:Like its surroundings, the food here is rustic, natural and wonderful. Fresh seafood is of course available, and their specialties include stone crab and lobster.

Green Turtle Cay Conch Fritters - Ever since Dan and I have been to the Bahamas, we've loved conch fritters. They're fried molluscs mixed with other ingredients such as spices and herbs, served with a creamy sauce. This version was spectacular, as it wasn't overly fishy and it even had bits of corn kernels inside, making it sweet. I loved its crispy coating and the "secret tartar sauce" was tangy and flavorful.

Soft Shell Crab Sandwich - I adore soft shell crab and this sandwich was slammin. The crab was super crispy, with just enough salt and overall nice seasoning. Served with Creole tartar sauce, its slightly spicy flavor made the tastebuds sing. I ordered a side of steak fries too, and they were the perfect accompaniment to the crab, and a nice dipper for the creamy tartar sauce.

Stone Crab - Everyone else ordered the stone crabs, which were rustic and kind of hard to eat, but very delicious. Served with butter and white sauce (different than tartar), they tasted wonderfully fresh and tender. I thought that the meat was slightly sweeter than that of a lobster. I recommend this dish, only if you have patience to mess with the shells.

Service and Cost:No complaints about the service here - our waitress was nice and very quick with our order. Although we got everything in good time, we didn't feel rushed to leave. Our waitress was kind and very appreciative of our nice tip - we felt especially generous since it was New Year's.

Costs are reasonable, making this a great option for lunch and dinner alike.